2 Timothy 2:20–21 (ESV) — 20 Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.
NOTE: I'm not sure if the great house is the Church or Christendom, although I lead toward viewing the house as the Church. The true church is made up of believers and this verse implies that there are faithful and unfaithful (or even apostate) believers. If it is Christendom, then there are believers and those who profess belief but are not true. So far, the passage has seemed to imply that the issue is believers who have gone astray (in their teaching or in their behavior). The implication of different types of vessels also argues that all can be used, but some will have a special use. I would hope that we would all want to be the vessel of gold or silver. Those vessels, those type of believers, have three advantages:
- … they are set apart as holy
- … they are useful to the master of the house
- … they are ready for every good work
In context, the difference is expressed in verse 15, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." If we want to be a vessel useful to God, we need to be serious about how we live our life, serious about studying his word, and serious about our application of God's word.
PONDER:
- What kind of vessel am I right now?
- Am I a vessel useful for noble work?
- Or am I a vessel that is dishonorable because I have made no effort to be holy, know God, or study his word?
PRAYER: Father, increase my love for your word. Speak to me through your Holy Spirit so that I may rightly divide your word. May I never bring shame to your name.
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